Coming Home
by cnyxc
Summary: Haruhi's come home for her ten-year class reunion, and the whole gang, especially Kyoya, is ecstatic. But can he keep her afterwards? ***Rated M for future lemons.*** Also, I do not pretend to own OHHC. I have simply borrowed the characters for my own amusement!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** Thank you for popping in. I know that this particular topic has been used many times to start a story, but please, don't let that keep you from reading on. There's more to this story than one may think, I promise! Any comments or suggestions are more than welcome. This is my first attempt at writing a fan-fic, so knowing what I'm doing well or poorly is helpful. Hope you enjoy!_

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 _I will never forget the way he looked at me that night. The way his eyes grazed over my skin as thought I was the one who had just recently stepped from the shower. It was as though he was slowly running his long, slender fingers over my skin, gently caressing each and every inch. I had never felt so devoured in my life, and yet… I couldn't look away. My eyes were locked to his, swimming in the depths of his dove grey eyes, swallowed by the thinly veiled passion they held within them as he gazed at me. His voice still haunts my dreams, and even now, I can hear the words that sent my heart beating a staccato in my rib cage–_ "If you like, you can pay me with your body."

Those words waking her instantly from her sleep, Haruhi sat bolt upright in her bed. Blinking several times, it took her a minute to remember where she was. "Oh yeah, I'm at the hotel," she reminded herself as she clasped the coverlet to her chest in an effort to calm her racing heart. This was not the first time that scene had played through her head. In fact, she's had the same dream for the past thirteen years, each time waking just as he reached his hand towards her.

It never ceased to leave her flustered, her mind playing different scenarios each time, different endings, each one leaving her more and more restless… and frustrated. Taking a few deep breaths, she managed to regain her balance somewhat before glancing at the clock beside her bed. "Six-thirty," she sighed. "I suppose I should get up and get ready." Rolling herself off of the gigantic hotel bed, she pressed the button on the coffee machine conveniently located on the bathroom counter before jumping in to take a hot shower.

It had been ten long years since she had seen those young men who had become her second family, ten years since she had graduated and gone to College. As she sat on the edge of the bed, she thought back on the things that had transpired until now. Even after graduating from Ouran High, she had managed to keep in touch with the guys from the host club who had become her second family, mostly through phone calls and e-mail.

Tamaki had gotten married six years ago to a lovely young Italian lady he met during a business trip. They now had two little boys, and were finally expecting their first daughter in a few months. They lived primarily in Japan so that he could continue to run the family business with his father, his grandmother finally relinquishing control of it just after her first great-grandchild was born.

Hikaru and Kaoru were currently modeling in Paris, partly due to Tamaki's connections, but mostly due to their mother's influence in the fashion industry. Hikaru had taken up baking as well, and ran his own patisserie, while Kaoru had become a magnificent painter. His artwork was currently on display in New York. Kaoru had fallen in love and was currently engaged to a lovely musician from the United States. They had seemed very happy together in the picture they had sent her from Hawaii, so Haruhi was, of course, happy for them. Hikaru, however, had seemed to show no interest outside of casual dating, and was left, quite contently, single. He claimed that it allowed him to focus more on their work, but through their conversations, Haruhi felt that there was much more to the story than that.

Takashi and Mitsukuni (She hadn't been allowed to call them by their nicknames since they graduated High School. Their decision.) were leading the way at the family dojo. While Mitsukuni also worked with the different police forces to make sure that they stayed top-notch, Takashi worked, surprisingly, with the younger students. She remembered hearing them in the background of many of their conversations, clamoring to get his attention. Being as devoted to each other as they were, the cousins, much like the Hitachiin twins, were not seeing anyone either. Even knowing their personalities, however, Haruhi wondered why.

Kyoya was now a major business owner in Tokyo, having bought out several of his father's companies from underneath him over the years. At first, it had been a cat and mouse game between the father and son duo to see who would win. After some time, though, Yoshio Ootori was forced to admit that his son was simply too good, and finally folded his cards. Another factor lay in the numerous failed marriage arrangements that the elder Ootori had attempted to sign his son up for. From what Haruhi had distinguished between the words on the others and the newspapers she read almost religiously, Kyoya had threatened that if Yoshio had tried to force him into another marriage, he would buy him out completely and force his father into a small home out in the countryside. She assumed that his distaste for women was due to their lack of benefit from them, but it still made her sad to think that her good friend was leading such a stark and lonely life.

Then again, she really didn't have much room to talk. Much to her father's dismay, Haruhi had never once dated. Not in High School, not in College, and not since College. She used the reasoning that if she had time to date, it would be better spent studying so that she could graduate at the top of her class. Which she did, walking up to the podium in front of five-thousand or more people on graduation day.

Surprisingly, she had not had any stage fright as she delivered her speech to the graduating class, encouraging them to never quit, to always keep learning, and to enjoy life. The two people who had been present had been Ranka and his new boyfriend, but for Haruhi, it had been enough. She shook her head at the thought of having had the Host Club at her graduation before taking a sip of her coffee. _Knowing them, there would have been fireworks and streamers floating down from the sky,_ she mused, a slight sense of nostalgia crashing over her as she smirked at the thought.

Oh, those boys. "Men now, I suppose," she sighed into her now empty mug. "I wonder what surprises lay in store this round?" She glanced over at the invitation she had received two weeks prior. Tomorrow was the day of her ten-year class reunion and the first time she had seen them in that entire time. Her phone vibrated on the table next to her and she picked it up. It was a message from her father, letting her know that he would be there in about ten minutes.

After hearing about the reunion, Ranka had decided that he would be taking Haruhi out to get ready. She knew that she didn't have any appropriate clothes for something of this caliber, and so, as much as she detested shopping for anything besides food, she agreed to allow her father to treat her, just this once. Smiling as she placed her phone back on the table, she began to gather her things together, waiting patiently for the inevitable knock on the door.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hiya everyone! I hope you're enjoying reading. I know that I've had fun writing this story. If you find anything in here that needs corrected, please let me know. I've edited it twice, but there's always that possibility that I've missed something. I expect this to be a rather long story overall, so I hope you'll stick with me through the twists and turns. I'm hoping to post on Mondays and Thursdays, so keep an eye out!

 _ **Cathy**_ \- Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad that it managed to draw you in and I sincerely hope to keep doing so. :)

Without further ado, here's the next entry!

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Six hours later…

"HARUHIIIII!" With a sigh, she peeked up and over the clothing racks that she had been hiding behind.  
"Over here, dad."

"Oh, Haruhi," Ranka called out as he walked towards her. He grabbed her arm and dragged her along with him up to the stylists counter. Haruhi, in an effort to keep her dad happy, plastered a learned smile on her face. She was determined to hide the utter exhaustion she felt after having gone to multiple stores, only to turn up empty handed each time. _I love this man, but could we stop, please? I'm hungry, my feet hurt, and we haven't found anything yet… I knew I should have just bought my dress online_.

Ranka pulled her right up to the counter, behind which stood a 'lovely young man', dressed to the nines and with an obvious… spring in his step. "Haruhi, I'd like you to meet Iyasu," Ranka declared, batting his eyelashes flirtatiously. _I see… So, DAD, you found ANOTHER young man you'd like to seduce_ , Haruhi's inner monologue piped up. She felt the twinges of jealousy catch hold of her. Why did her dad have such long, lovely, NATURAL eyelashes, and she was lucky to have any at all with how short they seemed.

The stylist, for his part, seemed to be taking everything in stride, but she caught the coy look he gave her dad just before reaching his hand out to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, princess," he replied, bending over to kiss the back of her hand. Haruhi's composure cracked momentarily. The last time she had been called that was her graduation day, the last day of Host Club when she and the guys came clean about her gender. By this time, most of the girls had admitted to having already figured it out, but they claimed that she was just too much fun to talk to, so they chose to keep her secret as well. She shrugged the feeling off. _Maybe this is how he treats all of his customers_.

Iyasu played his role perfectly. After coming around the counter, he leaned back against it, crossing his arms, then resting one hand on his chin. He stood like this for a couple of minutes while Ranka leaned on his elbows on the counter, reminding Haruhi very much of a certain Host Club King whose mental movies were just short of being considered x-rated. In fact, some were so bad that the other club members still liked to tease him about them. Luckily, his wife just laughed along with everyone.

Iyasu walked around her now, and for a brief moment, she was thankful that she had chosen to wear the form fitting boat-neck dress that her former club mates mother had sent her for her birthday this past year. She was thrilled to still be on first name basis with most of their parents, the exceptions being Kyoya's father, whom she had never really liked to begin with ( _D_ _ue to his often questionable business practices)_ and Tamaki's father, who still insisted that she call him "Uncle".

Yes, she was thankful, until she realized that there was yet another man casually glancing up and down the curves that she seemed to have developed since High School. Just as she was about to pull her arms into herself, Iyasu stepped back to lean against the counter once more, his fist returning to its original position with the exception of one long, delicate finger, which he was now tapping against the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly, like a flash of light had gone off, he raised his head to look her directly in the eyes. "I've got it," he exclaimed excitedly, startling Ranka out of his daydream. Iyasu hurried behind the curtain to the back of the shop, while Haruhi and Ranka gazed at the doorway with bated breath.

A short time later, Iyasu reemerged carrying a very long dress bag. Leading the way, he guided them back to the fitting rooms before hanging the bag on one of the hooks inside. "This," he softly stated, "I think will be the perfect dress." Without another word, he unzipped the bag, taking it off the dress before stepping back so the others could see.

Ranka squealed with delight, wrapping her arms around the young man's waist and squeezing him tightly. "It's PERFECT!" Haruhi simply stared, gazing at the gown before her, before once again finding her voice. "Where did you find this," she asked in almost a whisper, not bothering nor able to tear her eyes from the sight before her. Iyasu smiled at her, having wrapped his arm around Ranka's shoulder. "I made it," he told her. "In fact, I modeled it after a dress that one of the girls wore during our High School graduation."

With a sharp intake of breath, Haruhi whipped her head around to look at the young man, certain that her head was going to twist off with the motion. "What did you say," she nearly shouted in the small space. _There's no way that someone I went to work with would be working in a place like this! …Is there?_

Haruhi inhaled deeply, focusing her eyes on the man standing next to her father. She was trying hard to place him, but it was proving to be rather difficult. There were a lot of students that had attended Ouran High School in her year alone. And considering how many different classes there had been… Was it possible that there was someone who had seen her but she had never met herself?

Iyasu was smiling, knowing that she was trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. He knew that she wouldn't remember him. He had been their class rep's best friend, and even with as shy as the class rep had been, he had been worse. He had been that student that had sat in the back of the class, head down, waiting for the bell to ring so he could get out before everyone else and hide himself in a corner somewhere until the hallways had quieted down.

Iyasu felt bad for teasing Haruhi, the girl he had watched grow up before his eyes, but even he had thought that she was a boy up until that last day. After doing some digging, he'd found out that in their last two years of school, she'd had to wrap her chest in order to still be viewed as a boy. It was only at Chairman Suoh's insistence that she had worn the gown anyway, but it had been absolutely stunning, and she had earned the title that the Host Club had used on so many others – Princess.

Haruhi had turned her attention back to the gown and was once again staring at it in awe. She remembered the day it had shown up at the door of their apartment...


	3. Chapter 3

_She had been so angry at the sight of it that she had been tempted to send it back. Instead she had called Tamaki, who had just happened to have been on a group call at the time with the other club members._

Tamaki – "Haruhi! How are you today, my little princess?"

Haruhi – "What in the hell is this, senpai?"

Tamaki – "W-what do you mean, Haruhi?"

Haruhi – "WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THIS DRESS? I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!"

Kyoya – "So tell me, Haruhi, did you have an appropriate gown picked out for graduation? You do understand there is a dress code you are required to follow…"

Haruhi – "Kyoya… Are you with Tamaki right now?"

Kyoya - *chuckling* "No, Haruhi. I'm at home."

Haruhi – "Then how…"

Mitsukuni – "That's easy, Haru. We're on a conference call!"

Hikaru – "That's right!"

Kaoru – "Hiya, Haru!"

Takashi – "Hey."

Haruhi – "… So, everyone's here?"

Mitsukuni - *laughs* "That's right Haruhi! And… Don't be so mad at Tamaki. We all had a part in that dress, and so did our parents."

Kyoya – "It's true."

Kaoru – "Our mom…"

Hikaru – "… even designed it."

Takashi – "Everyone helped."

Tamaki – "And father insisted that you wear it for graduation. ALL day."

Haruhi - *sighs* "Well, I guess I don't have a choice then."

Mitsukuni – "Don't be upset Haruhi. We just wanted to give you something after everything that you've done for us."

Hikaru – "Yeah. After all…"

Kaoru – "… you ARE our Princess."

Takashi – "Yep."

Kyoya – "We all pitched in our thoughts and ideas. Have you even looked at the dress yet?"

Haruhi – "… not yet."

Tamaki – "Well, go look at it silly!"

Haruhi – *sighs* "Okay, hang on."

*indistinct rustling in the background*

Haruhi - *gasps*

Ranka (from the background) – "OH HARUHI! IT'S SOOOOOO BEAUUUUTIFUL!"

The boys chuckle at this.

Haruhi – "Wow… Guys…."

Tamaki – "Just promise us you'll wear it?"

Kaoru – "Yeah, Haru! We can't wait to see you in it."

Hikaru – "And our mom will want pictures, of course."

Mitsukuni – "I can't wait to see how beautiful you look, Haruhi!"

Takashi – "Yeah."

Kyoya – "I think that gown will be quite fitting for you, Haruhi."

Haruhi – "Wow guys… Thank you. I'll try to meet your expectations."

Kyoya – "Oh, I'm certain that you will, Haruhi."

Tamaki – "Of course you will! You will be absolutely stunning, my Princess."

*grunts of agreement from the other boys*

Haruhi - *on the verge of happy tears* "Thanks you guys. I love you."

All of the guys simultaneously – "We love you too, Haruhi!"

 _She_ _hung up at that point and proceeded to admire the gown in front of her with her dad. "They really do love you, Haruhi," he mused in his dad voice. Haruhi walked up to the dress and ran the fabric through her fingers before stepping back and taking a good look at it. It was absolutely beautiful._

 _Based on the Victorian style, the upper part of the dress had three-quarter length fitted sleeves and a fitted bodice with a rather modest squared neckline. The skirt portion was designed as a bustle skirt, circa 1877. The entire gown was a dove white satin, and hints of lace peeked through in all of the appropriate places. All in all, it was beautiful. And when she wore it on graduation day, she felt, for the first time, beautiful._

Haruhi reached out and ran her fingers rather gently over the fabric. The last one had been satin, whereas this one was made of a snow-white silk. Pure silk, if the Hitachiin brothers and their mother had taught her anything. There were slight differences between this one and the last, though. For example, there were no sleeves to this dress. In their place stood an off-the-shoulder row of powder blue roses that also lined the back and the now sweetheart neckline.

There was no lace on this one. Instead there were accent ribbons at the waistline and base of the skirt. On either side of the bustle were matching roses, as though they had been used to pin the back of the skirt up. Another difference was that, while her graduation dress had barely skimmed the floor, this one had a slight train to it, making it seem more of a wedding gown than a ball gown.

"Would you like to try it on," asked Iyasu as he reached past her to pull the dress from its hanger. Haruhi turned to look at him with that sense of wow still marking her face and simply nodded at him. He pulled it down and held it out to her, smiling as she took it from him rather reverently. "Let us know if you need help," he chirped as he ushered her astounded father out of the fitting room.

Haruhi finally remembered to breathe at that point. It was most certainly not the same gown, but fashioned so similarly that it brought back memories. She smiled at these as she began to undress. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the gown, feeling the softness of the cashmere used to line the inside of the bodice and skirt sooth her skin as she pulled it up and into place. She then noticed another difference between this gown and the last. Whereas the last had what seemed like thousands of buttons going up the back, this one had boning and laced up her spine like a traditional bodice would.

Unsure how she was going to handle that on her own, she called out to Iyasu. "Um... hey... Iyasu?" He peeked in through the curtain while Ranka began to protest about wanting to see her first. Ducking his head back out, Haruhi heard him murmur some soft words to her dad before stepping through the curtain and shutting it fully behind him. She caught a fleeting glimpse of something in his eyes when he saw her in the gown before looking into her eyes and smiling. "Turn," he directed, no other words coming from his mouth.

Once she was sure that he had the matching white laces in his hands, she braced herself against the wall with both hands. It wasn't the first time that she had been laced into a corset. In fact, with all of the cosplay and theatrical events that the Host Club had taken part in, she understood perfectly well what she had gotten herself into. "I'm going to start lacing it now. Let me know if it gets too tight," Iyasu explained to her as he flipped the modesty panel in place. Haruhi simply nodded for her part, taking a deep breath and letting it go.

Minutes later, Haruhi stood in front of the three-way mirror just outside of the fitting room while Ranka sat behind her, dabbing his eyes every few seconds. "Haruhi… My little girl." He sighed. "You have grown into such a fine young woman. I am so proud of you." Iyasu stood nearby, admiring his handy work. Haruhi turned this way and that, trying to see the gown from all angles.

 _I can't believe he modeled this off of my graduation dress. I feel like a fairy princess_ , she thought to herself before turning away from the mirrors and facing Iyasu. "It's perfect," she breathed. Iyasu chuckled, secretly proud of himself that he had gotten the details down to a T. The dress fit her like a glove, no adjustments were required, and she looked magnificent. He was sure that the guys who had contacted him with her graduation photo would be more than thrilled to see her like this. He knew that, after ten years, he was.

Haruhi and Ranka left the shop, Iyasu promising to deliver the dress to her hotel room later this evening. Ranka started going over the rest of the things that they were going to do that day. "Okay, so we still have to go to the nail salon for our mani-pedi's, and then we need to get you some jewelry to go with your dress. I'm so glad that Iyasu found that wrap and shoes that went perfectly with your dress! And then we need to go get makeup, oh! And some matching roses for your hair! He was pretty cute, wasn't he? And then…" Haruhi smiled and rolled her eyes. _Geez dad, you always get so excited over the littlest things._

Taking a breath, she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Hey, dad?"

"Huh? Yeah, Haru, what's up?"

"Before all that, can we please stop to get something to eat? I didn't have time this morning."

"Oh! Hmm…" Ranka pondered this for a moment before an idea came to mind. "I've got just the place," he exclaimed, grabbing her arm and wrapping it in his before changing their direction. Haruhi laughed at this. It was nice though. When she was younger, her dad had felt like this overbearing parent who couldn't resist sticking his nose in her business.

 _She had often feared what her friend's parents would think of him, considering that not only was he bisexual, but a working transvestite as well. After they had met him, though, every last one of them loved him and welcomed him with open arms into their families._ Haruhi shook her head at her thoughts. She was happy that they had all become friends, and was even happier that she was able to walk around in public with Ranka as if he were her best friend and not the man that had raised her. "So, where are we going?"


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update. I've been a slug and spent my day hanging out with my little and binge watching Doctor Who... Anyway, here's the next chapter! I know that it's slow going, but I hope that you'll be patient with me along the way. As always, any comments, questions, corrections, or suggestions are always welcome! Reviews let me know when I'm screwing up, so for me and other authors, it's a HUGE help. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy!_

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As she sat in the bathtub relaxing her tense muscles several hours, and several more bags of merchandise, later, a smile flitted across her lips as she recalled the day's events. She still didn't want to believe that her father had just spent so much on her, especially when she was making more than him, but he had insisted, claiming the "right of a father". And so she had relented… again. She chuckled softly. _It seems to be a thing with the men in my life to make me give in to their whims_. They had ended up in a sushi restaurant and had each ordered a pot of tea to go along with their meal.

After that, they had walked for what felt like miles, through endless stores, stopping consistently so that her dad could admire this thing or that. By the time they were finished for the day, it was already well past six in the evening, so they stopped for dinner at one of the new steakhouses that had just opened. This time, though, Haruhi insisted that she treat him.

"But, Haruhi…"

"No, dad," she interrupted. "It's not fair! I want to do something for you too, not just have you spoil me all of the time." This back and forth continued for about five minutes before Haruhi pulled out her Ace. "Dad, you're acting just like Tamaki!" At the horrid look on his face, she knew that she had won. Ranka let go of the check, embarrassed by the way he had acted. Haruhi left the table to go pay the bill, leaving behind a rather chagrined man to think about their argument.

Ranka knew that his daughter made more money in a day than he could hope to make in a month, but he still had his pride as a single father. He wanted to make sure that his daughter was taken care of, and considering that there wasn't anyone that she was seeing at the moment, "Or ever has," Ranka muttered to himself, he felt that it was his duty. Still, though, it was nice to know that she still cared enough about him to make sure that he was eating well every once in awhile. And so, when Haruhi returned to the table, Ranka simply sat, smiling at his exceptional daughter.

After stepping out of the bath, Haruhi heard her phone go off. She walked over after wrapping her towel around her head and picked it up. It was a message from Hikaru.

Hikaru – Hey, you have fun shopping with your dad today?  
Haruhi – Do I even want to know what hand you guys had in this?  
Hikaru – It's not like that! Mom told me she talked to your dad today.  
Haruhi – Ahh, I forgot how close they've gotten.  
Hikaru – Yeah, mom's even thinking of having him as one of her models!  
Haruhi – OMG… He would too.  
Hikaru – Anyway, what are you doing tonight?  
Haruhi – Just relaxing. Why?  
Hikaru – Because me, Mitsukuni, Takashi, and Kyoya were thinking about going out for drinks since the others are both busy with their… others.  
Haruhi – Hmm….. I don't know. I've still got a lot of… preparation to look forward to tomorrow. *gag*  
Hikaru – Awe, c'mon! I promise, we'll pay!  
Haruhi – Hahaha. Alright, alright. Give me about 20.  
Hikaru – You've got 5. We've been standing outside your door for long enough.

 _WHAT?!_ Haruhi reread the message on her phone just as she heard a knock on the door of her hotel room. "AHH!" Rushing to her closet, she dropped her towel and started dressing as quickly as possible, the guys standing on the other side laughing the whole time having heard her outburst.

After throwing on a pair of leggings, an oversized t-shirt over a tank-top, and a pair of knee high boots, she threw her hair up in a quick ponytail, grabbed her purse, and answered the door. Waiting outside for her were two of her best friends, Hikaru and Mitsukuni. Gone were the days of a super thin redhead and a short little blonde. Now, she was looking up into two pairs of eyes, one pair light, glowing like the rays of the sun on a summer's day, and the other, dark swirling pools of molten chocolate.

Giving them each a once over, Haruhi noticed some obvious changes to each of them, their new towering heights notwithstanding. Hikaru, who had once been a svelte youth, a little taller than herself, had become a sophisticated, lightly muscled young man. Dressed in a sky colored tank top exposing his now tattooed biceps and a pair of tan cargo shorts, his light auburn hair short and spiked, no one would guess that the man standing before her was a baking superstar.

Next to him, was an even more astounding sight. Where once would have stood a cheerful boy, a stuffed pink bunny wrapped in his arms and the disarming appearance of an elementary school minor, now stood a towering fellow, slightly shorter than the gentleman next to him. Mitsukuni, outfitted in a black, clinging, V-neck t-shirt and an equally suited pair of dark jeans, had most definitely outgrown his child-like façade. _I should probably say something_ Haruhi thought to herself as she mentally picked her jaw up from the floor. "Wow, Mitsukuni, you got tall."

Both men began to laugh again. though this time it was not the mild tittering of co-workers gathered at the water-cooler, but a deeper, joyful, soul-filled laugh. Mitsukuni ran a hand through his wheat colored hair, his delicate looking fingers belying their strength. Hikaru, regaining his senses, laid a hand on Mitsukuni shoulder. "See, I told you she'd notice you first!" Mitsukuni gave him a good-natured shove, reaching his hand out to Haruhi. "Are you ready," he inquired, gazing into her caramel colored eyes and resisting the urge to pull her into a hug the way he did when they were younger. Seeing Hikaru reaching for her as well, she placed a hand in each of theirs and smiled. "Let's go!"

As they stood in the hotel elevator talking about their plans for the evening, Haruhi glanced at the two gentlemen by her side. "So where are Takashi and Kyoya?" Hikaru and Mitsukuni both smiled. "Takashi is waiting for us with the car. He drove his Vanquish, so we're riding with him. And Kyoya will meet up with us once he's done with work." Haruhi looked back and forth between the two. "Vanquish," she asked, feeling a bit confused.

Hikaru laughed while Mitsukuni simply smiled, looking a bit abashed. "It's a convertible, so we'll be able to ride with the top down." Haruhi simply nodded, still not quite sure what a Vanquish was other than a car. Although, knowing these guys as well as she did, she imagined that it was an expensive one. Of course, she was not to be disappointed.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN:** Gah! Sorry guys, I know it's been a while. I'm just getting to the tail end of being sick over the holidays. So, without further ado, here's the next chapter.._

Twenty minutes. Takashi had been driving for what seemed like forever already, but the guys said they still had twenty minutes left before they reached their destination. Haruhi was grateful that he had let the top down on the Vanquish when they had gotten onto the highway. She felt the warm summer wind caress her skin, bringing with it the scents of wet sand and salt. She gazed over the ocean that stretched out next to them, the gentle breeze breaking small waves in its surface. It wasn't the first time she'd seen the water like this, nor the first time being near the ocean with the boys. Men, she reminded herself. They're men now, not boys. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander.

When they had reached the car, Takashi stood there, seemingly stoic as ever as he leaned against the hood of his car. His eyes shifted from the phone in his hand to the trio making their way towards him. Shoving the device in his pocket, he stood, a bewitching smile touching his lips as he surveyed Haruhi being propelled forward by their two cohorts. Stepping forward and reaching out, he lifted her from their grasps as he had many times before. Unlike their previous encounters, this time he pulled her to him, wrapping her in a hug.

Haruhi was slightly shocked at first, but once the initial awe wore off, she chuckled lightly. A smile on her face, she turned her head to meet her friends eyes. "It's good to see you too, Takashi," she whispered before pulling him in and squeezing him back. He laughed as he put her back on her feet. Unlike the others, his looks hadn't changed at all over the years. His persona, however… Haruhi chalked that up to the amount of time he spent training the youth at the dojo. He felt more open and relaxed, nothing like the calm, quiet young man she had gone to school with.

Grinning down at her, he placed a warm hand on top of her head as he had in the past. "You've grown," he commented. Hikaru and Mitsukuni burst into another fit of laughter while Haruhi simply blushed. She knew that he wasn't referring to her height. She'd been the same height since she first started at Ouran High School. Takashi looked at each of them in turn. "You all ready," he asked, not waiting for an answer before walking around the car and climbing in.

"Shotgun," Hikaru called out as he opened the passenger door and climbed in. Mitsukuni held the back door for Haruhi. "After you, princess," he declared, bowing slightly to her. Haruhi smacked him lightly on the arm, smiling and shaking her head before sliding across the seat for Mitsukuni to join her.

"How much longer until we get there," she asked the blonde by her side. "It should be just around the next corner," he replied. "Why, are you excited or something?"

"Yeah, Haru! Are we not enough for you," came Hikaru's voice from the front seat.

"Stop teasing her," Takashi ordered, keeping his eyes on the darkened road in front of him.

Haruhi pretended to be offended, taking a page from the twin's book. "Really? How could you even ask that," she quipped, placing a hand over her heart. "You wound me, Hikaru." She raised her other hand, placing the back of it against her forehead and tilting her head backwards in mock dismay. This sent another peal of giggles running through the car. _I hadn't realized how much I missed this until now_.

Takashi pulled the car into a driveway, putting it in park in front of the garage of a very subdued beach house. Haruhi looked around, stunned. "I thought we were going to the bar..." The three guys chuckled. Takashi was the first out of the car and stepped back, opening her door for her while Hikaru and Mitsukuni climbed out of the other side.

"We wanted to surprise you," exclaimed Mitsukuni from across the roof of the car. Haruhi looked up at Takashi, who smiled in return. "We wanted to keep you to ourselves," added Hikaru from the front. Haruhi smiled back at Takashi and shrugged her shoulders. "Let's go then!"

While Hikaru and Mitsukuni bantered back and forth, Takashi pulled Haruhi to the side just before they entered the house. "Have you been okay," he inquired. Haruhi snickered. "You mean since you last saw me forty-eight hours ago?" Takashi snorted, his cheeks slightly pink. Haruhi smiled up at the older man, knowing the answer before she even asked the question. "I take it you haven't told them yet," she said, giving him the opportunity to deny her comment. The color on Takashi's face deepened as he shook his head in response. "It's okay," she smiled. "Let's wait until after the reunion." With that, they followed the others into the house.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** Welcome back to the next episode of "WTH is going on here?" I've really enjoyed receiving your reviews. :) Now I get to respond to them!_

 _Sniper, Howdyjessi, and Mamabug_ _\- Thank you so much! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it._

 _Also Mamabug, and to lylasalwaysme_ _\- I'm sorry! Yes, there is a lot of whiplash here at the beginning, and yes, I promise, it is definitely a KyoHaru story. This chapter should clear a lot of that up._

 _Thank you guys again for sticking with me through this mess. :) And now onto the next chapter!_

* * *

In the short time it took Haruhi and Takashi to walk from the front door to the living room, Hikaru and Mitsukuni were already curled up on opposite ends of the couch watching some new reality t.v. show. Hikaru was popping chips in his mouth one after the other while Mitsukuni munched on one of the cupcakes from the baker's dozen set in front of him. From the looks of it, he had already polished off three of them.

Takashi walked up behind him and plucked the cupcake out of his hand. "Hey, that's mine," shouted Mitsukuni, grabbing the pillow he was propped against and throwing it with all of his might at Takashi. The taller of the two had expected this outburst though, and casually dodged the flying object. "Too many sweets are bad for you," he chided him in a low voice.

Hikaru, who had been oblivious to the situation between the other two, reached his arm across the sofa to grab Mitsukuni. "Look, this is the part I was telling you about," he exclaimed, his eyes glued to the television. Mitsukuni and Takashi both turned towards the images scrolling across the electronic device, Takashi popping the cupcake into his mouth. He took a seat in the chair closest to Mitsukuni and began to watch along with the others.

Haruhi wandered away from the couch towards what she assumed was the kitchen. Upon further investigation, her assumption proved to be correct. The room wasn't the tiny galley style of her dad's apartment, nor was it the grand affair you saw at the guy's family homes. Instead, it was your average, American sized kitchen, complete with all of the usual appliances. In fact, it was so… average, that the only way you could tell it was owned by someone with an extensive amount of money was by the backsplash (imported, hand painted, Italian tiles) and the sixty year old bottle of wine sitting on the counter.

 _Hmm, this IS Kyoya's place. Which means, if I were a glass, I would be_ … Haruhi reached up to the cabinet just to the left of the sink and opened it. "Thought so," she muttered. Just as she was reaching up to grab a glass, she heard a voice behind her. "Thought what, Haruhi," she heard. She turned around and, in one swift motion, wrapped her arms around Kyoya's neck. This sudden encounter caused the young man to briefly lose his balance. Kyoya laughed, something he did on rare occasions (and usually only if Haruhi was around), and caught himself before returning the hug with just as much fervor as it was given.

"I missed you." Kyoya's voice was so soft that Haruhi barely caught what he said. She smiled a bit, her head buried in his shoulder. Knowing Kyoya, he hadn't meant for her to hear, so she pulled back enough to see his face smiling down at her, their arms remaining locked around one another. "Did you say something," Haruhi asked, feigning innocence.

Something flashed in Kyoya's eyes before he slowly released her. "Were you surprised to find the glasses there," he inquired, rather firmly changing the subject. Haruhi smiled knowingly as a faint blush spread across Kyoya's cheeks under her scrutiny. "No," she responded, "actually, I was thinking that it is very much like you." Kyoya turned to her then, observing her for a moment. "What makes you say that?"

"Well," she replied, glancing around the kitchen. "You were always very…" She paused for a moment, trying to think of the right word. "Meticulous. Everything always needed to be in the right place, at the right time, for the right reason," she concluded, chancing a glance at him. Kyoya was staring at her, one delicate eyebrow arched the way he did when he was thinking hard about something. "Is that so," he finally countered. Haruhi nodded her head. She couldn't seem to look away, feeling like his eyes were seeing straight through to her soul.

Taking a breath, she finally found her voice again. "I have my kitchen at home set up the same way." Kyoya smiled at that. _I know that already, my beautiful dove. After all, I'm the one who helped set it up._ Kyoya stepped towards her again, reaching for her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you came back," he told her, stepping even closer, losing himself in the fathomless pools of her eyes. _Gods, I wish he'd just kiss me already,_ Haruhi thought to herself, raising her head towards his as he laid his other hand on her shoulder.

A moment later, they heard giggling behind them. Finally coming back to themselves, they turned towards the doorway to find the other three standing there, watching. Mitsukuni was giggling while Hikaru yawned. Takashi, for his part, was blushing, embarrassed that they had interrupted such a private moment. Time stood still as the two groups stood there, watching each other. Hikaru was the first to break the silence. "So, where's the drinks?"


	7. Chapter 7

It was right around midnight when the unmistakable snores coming from the guys indicated that they would all be spending the night. Kyoya appeared from what Haruhi could only assume was the bedroom with three blankets, and the two set upon covering the sleeping lumberjacks.

Pressing a finger to his lips, Kyoya took Haruhi by the hand and headed for the back door. Once on the back porch of the house, Haruhi let out a slight gasp. The stars blanketing the pitch black sea glittered like tiny diamonds laid with tender care across a velvet surface. Pausing for a moment, Kyoya smiled tenderly at the woman, his face hidden in the dark, before tugging her hand gently and continuing down the stair to the beach.

They walked a short distance away from the building before he let go of her hand. They casually strolled along side by side, neither wishing to break the spell cast upon them at that moment. Secretly wishing that he would take her hand again, Haruhi swung the offending limb before him pointing out to the sea. "I don't think I've ever seen it look like this," she whispered, taking the risk of breaking the silence.

Kyoya resisted the urge to reach out and pull her into a tight embrace. Instead, he took a step closer to her, turning his head towards the water and taking in the sight that, until recently, held no merit for him. Haruhi watched as, behind his glasses, his eyes grew wider at the sight. She knew as she watched them soften in appreciation that it was something that he had never paid much attention to.

 _How did I resist this man all of those years in high school_ , she reflected as she watched him. Even now, she wasn't sure where she stood with him, but oh, was she willing to find out. The scene from the beach house so many years ago flittered through her mind unbidden, his words once again ringing through her ears. _"If you want, you can pay with your body."_ Haruhi took in a slow deep breath, thankful at the moment that they were shrouded in darkness. She hated the idea of him asking why she was blushing suddenly.

Kyoya, hearing her breathe, turned his head back towards her. "Are you okay, Haruhi?" He reached his hand out to her and she placed hers in his, stepping up beside him. A comfortable silence fell between them once more as they stood, staring out to sea, each lost in their own thoughts.

It was some time later when Hikaru woke up to Mitsukuni and Takashi pondering the back door. "What's going on," he asked the two groggily. Never turning his gaze away, Mitsukuni responded. "Haruhi and Kyoya have been out there for a long time." Hikaru came to his senses quickly, a worried look in his eyes as he glanced back and forth between the door and each of his friends. Takashi met his eyes briefly before turning his gaze back to the entryway. "They're fine," he stated in his quiet way. Mitsukuni turned back towards his friends and smiled. "I'm happy they're finally seeing it," he chirped.

"Seeing what," Hikaru questioned, still not quite understanding their current situation.

"Didn't you know, Hikaru? They've been in love with each other since we first met her."

After a time, the couple had gotten tired of standing and decided to sit down in the sand together. They passed their time quietly, neither saying a word aloud. As more time passed, Haruhi began to relax into Kyoya's side. Feeling his heart begin to pick up its tempo, he gently placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "Are you ready to go back, Haruhi," he asked, unable to keep the longing from his voice.

Haruhi felt her lips twitch upwards. "No, let's just stay here." She nuzzled under his chin, closing her eyes as she breathed in the scent of him. She could hear his rapid heartbeat and felt her own pick up in response. If he noticed, he never said a word. They remained like that, watching the sun rise over the vast expanse before getting up to rejoin their companions.

Neither Kyoya nor Haruhi could have expected what happened as she walked through the door he held for her. She hadn't made it more than a step inside the house when she was wrapped in a tight squeeze and spun around in circles. "Haruhi," shouted Mitsukuni as he stopped his rotations. "Are you okay?"

"We were worried about you when we woke up and you and Kyoya were gone," piped up Hikaru from the table, a slight agitation tinging his voice. He covertly eyed Kyoya over the brim of his coffee mug as he proceeded to take a drink. Takashi walked out from the kitchen at that moment carrying a platter of food, nodding to the two missing persons as he set it down on the table. Mitsukuni put Haruhi down and rushed towards the table, grabbing a stack of pancakes from the platter and smothering them in syrup and whipped cream.

Haruhi shook her head. "I'm fine, just a bit sandy," she told to boys as she dusted the small bits of earth from her hair. She and Kyoya had wound up falling asleep on the beach just after sunrise. She awoke to a weight across her chest before realizing that Kyoya was spooning her from behind and letting her use his arm as a pillow. A brief blush crossed her cheeks at the memory. "I'm going to go wash up," she announced, turning slightly to look back at Kyoya. He was slightly pink himself. "I'll make us some coffee," he replied, retreating to the kitchen.

The others looked back and forth between the doors, each of them reaching their own conclusions. Takashi laid a hand on Hikaru's forearm before the younger man could get out of his seat and shook his head in warning. Kyoya had never taken the Hitachiin brothers well when they interfered with his plans.

Takashi stood and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Hikaru and Mitsukuni at the table by themselves. The two watched as he walked into the kitchen after their friend. Hikaru glanced at the bathroom door before turning back to the blonde. "Do you think anything happened?"

"I don't know, but I've got a feeling it's going to be an interesting day," Mitsukuni replied before shoving the next bite of sugar laden pancake into his mouth.

Takashi walked up to the counter opposite of where the other man stood, reaching up to grab two more plates. "I suppose you're wondering if something happened," Kyoya sighed as he poured coffee for Haruhi and himself. Turning to look at the taller man, Kyoya smiled faintly, a light blush still staining his cheeks. Takashi caught his eye before picking up the plates. He laid a hand on the shorter man's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You're both safe. That's what matters," he said before heading back out to the dining area.

After breakfast, the five of them began to discuss their plans for the day.

Haruhi – "I've got to get back to the hotel. Dad's got this big idea that he's going to dress me up before the event tonight.

Hikaru – "Yeah, I've got to go to my parents house. I promised mom that I'd bake something for her."

Mitsukuni – "Takashi and I have to head to the dojo. We've got a couple of classes before tonight."

Takashi – "Your parents house is on the way. Want us to drop you off?"

Hikaru nodded, taking another drink of his coffee. "That would be great. The sooner I get there, the more time I have to make something good."

Kyoya looked at the other three men, his brain very quickly catching onto their ploy, before turning his gaze to Haruhi. "I've got nothing major going on," he mused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "Shall I take you back, Haruhi?" Haruhi smiled, feeling her heartbeat quicken at the thought. "T-That would be wonderful, Kyoya. Thank you."

Mitsukuni and Hikaru shared a secret smile and stood. As they reached the vehicles, Hikaru pulled Haruhi to the side. "Mom's going to be by later to help with your hair and makeup, so try to get some rest before then." Haruhi smiled and shook her head. "Dad's been at it again, I see," she chuckled. After hugs and handshakes were exchanged, and each of the guys made her promise them a dance that night, the two cars loaded up and went their separate ways.


End file.
